Plastic case



Feb. 1, 1966 H. s. CLOYD 3, ,476

PLASTIC CASE Filed June 18, 1964 United States Patent 3,232,476 PLASTIC CASE Harold S. Eloyd, Erie, Pa, assignor to Nosco Plastics, Incorporated, Erie, Pa, a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed June 18, 1964, Ser. No. 376,199 2 Claims. ((11. 226102) This invention is intended to simplify the molding of plastic carriers for bottled beverages. Such carriers are used extensively for carbonated beverages sold for home consumption and customarily hold from six to eight bottles.

in the drawing, FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic top plan view of a carrier for six bottles, FIG. 2 is a fragmentary section showing the connection between the handle and the carrier, FIG. 3 is a section on line 33 of FIG. 2, and FIG. 4 is a section on line 44 of FIG. 3.

in the top plan view, the carrier has the general appearance shown in FIG. 1. There is a center partition 1 running down the middle of the carrier and joined at its ends to end walls 2 and there are two cross partitions 3 joined at opposite ends to side walls 4. The partitions 1 and 3 are integral with bottom wall 5 and are joined to each other at the intersections 6. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the height of the side and end walls 4 and 2 is less than the normal height of the bottle but is sufficient to define bottle holding pockets. In order to save material and to provide drainage, the partitions 1 and 3 are cored out from the bottom, as shown at 7, at each of the intersections 6. These cored out openings 7 have flat tops 8 for purposes to be described. The parts so far described are molded as a unit from plastic and provide a rigid and durable construction. The mold for these parts is relatively simple because the depth of the mold cavity is not great.

For carrying the case, there is provided a handle 9 which is a simply molded plastic piece. The ends 19 of the handle are at each of the intersections s and have staggered bifurcated projections 13, 14 respectively on one and the other side of the center and cross partitions 1 and 3. As molded, the projections 13, 14 are spaced so the section of the handle between the upper ends of the projections rests on the upper edge of the center partition and the sides of the projections make contact with the sides of the center partition 1, as shown in FIG. 3. At the lower extremities, the projections have inwardly extending shoulders 15 which underlie the flat surface 8 on the center partition and thereby positively lock the handle to the carrier against unintentional displacement. It will be noted that the projections 13 and 14 at each intersection 6 are restrained against movement along the center partition by being located on opposite sides of the cross partition 3.

If the handle 9 were integral with the carrier, a deep mold would be required which would increase not only the expense of the mold but the difiiculty of molding. By the construction described, the carrier is made of two easily molded parts which, when assembled, have the advantages of a one piece construction.

What is claimed as new is:

1. A bottle carrier having side, end and bottom walls, a central partition extending between the end walls, two cross partitions extending between the side walls and intersecting the central partition to form bottle pockets, the partitions being integral with each other at the intersecions and also being integral with the bottom wall and with the associated side and end walls, one of the partitions at each intersection of the partitions having abrupt shoulders on opposite sides thereof and below the upper edge of the partition, a handle having an end at each of the intersections of the partitions, each end having bifurcated projections depending below the upper edges of the partitions and located respectively on one and the other side of each of the central and cross partitions, the section of the handle between the upper ends of the projections resting on the upper edge of said one of the partitions, and the lower ends of the projections having inwardly extending shoulders which underlie the abrupt shoulders on said one of the partitions and lock the handle to the carrier.

2. A bottle carrier having side, end and bottom walls, a central partition extending between the end walls, two cross partitions extending between the side walls and intersecting the central partition to form bottle pockets, the partitions being integral with each other at the intersections and also being integral with the bottom wall and with the associated side and end walls, the central partition having openings on opposite sides of each cross partition at each intersection of the partitions and below the upper edge of the central partition to provide abrupt shoulders, a handle having an end at each of the intersections of the partitions, each end having bifurcated projections depending below the upper edges of the central partition and located respectively on one and the other side of each of the central and cross partitions, the section of the handle between the upper ends of the projections resting on the upper edge of the central partition, and the lower ends of the projections having inwardly extending shoulders which underlie the abrupt shoulders on the central partition and lock the handle to the carrier.

ReEe-rences Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,431,713 12/1947 Stigler 220104 2,539,304 1/1951 Hall 229-28 2,540,068 1/1951 Williamson 2201 18 2,559,374 7/1951 Ringler 22928 2,589,423 3/ 1952 Nadolsky et al 224 2,826,332 3/1958 Hudson 220 3,045,863 7/1962 De Chelbor 22(l102 3,114,472 12/1963 Russo 220104 3,115,266 12/1963 Poupitch 220-23.6

GEORGE O. RALSTON, Primary Examiner. 

1. A BOTTLE CARRIER HAVING SIDES, END AND BOTTOM WALLS A CENTRAL PARTITION EXTENDING BETWEEN THE END WALLS, TWO CROSS PARTITIONS EXTENDING BETWEEN THE SIDE WALLS, AND INTERSECTING THE CENTRAL PARTITION TO FORM BOTTLE POCKETS, THE PARTITIONS BEING INTEGRAL WITH EACH OTHER AT THE INTERSECTIONS AND ALSO BEING INTEGRAL WITH THE BOTTOM WALL AND WITH THE ASSOCIATED SIDE AND END WALLS, ONE OF THE PARTITIONS AT EACH INTERSECTION OF THE PARTITION HAVING ABRUPT SHOULDERS ON OPPOSITE SIDES THEREOF AND BELOW THE UPPER EDGE OF THE PARTITION, A HANDLE HAVING AN END AT EACH OF THE INTERSECTIONS OF THE PARTITIONS, EACH END HAVING BIFURACTED PROJECTIONS DEPENDING BELOW THE UPPER EDGES OF THE PARTITIONS AND LOCATED RESPECTIVELY ON ONE AND THE OTHER SIDE OF EACH OF THE CENTRAL AND CROSS PARTITIONS, THE SECTION OF THE HANDLE BETWEEN THE UPPER ENDS OF THE PROJECTIONS RESTING ON THE UPPER EDGE OF SAID ONE OF THE 